Massive irregularities found in Jessore board

A probe committee of the education ministry has revealed massive irregularities in the re-examination of answer sheets of this year's higher secondary certificate examinations under Jessore education board.
The committee found higher marks have been given in 796 re-examined answer sheets immorally. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid disclosed this in a news briefing at the secretariat yesterday.
A deputy controller, a system analyst, a section officer, an assistant programmer and a data entry operator of the board have been suspended on the basis of the probe report, said the minister. “We are concerned about the matter and took immediate steps against the people involved.”
Besides, departmental cases will be lodged against them. Show cause notices have been served on the examination controller and the then acting chairman of the board in this regard.
This is the first instance of detecting such an irregularity, though this type of anomaly is very common, mentioned Nahid.
The students who either flunk or do not achieve expected results in the examinations apply for re-examining their answer sheets of specific subjects. The education board officials concerned then check the answer sheets to find out whether any number counting error has occurred or the correct total marks have been written in the computer sheet.
The results of this year's HSC examinations were published on July 27. Around 7,242 students under Jessore board applied for re-examining 25,356 answer sheets, which was completed on September 4.
The ministry noticed the irregularities soon after the publication of the re-examination results and formed the four-member committee to look into the matter.
After checking the re-examined answer sheets, the probe body found new marks were written directly in the computer sheet without changing those in the re-examination sheets and re-examination drafts.
Nahid also pointed out that secrecy was not maintained in preparing the re-examination results which is sensitive.
The education board will again analyse each of the 796 re-examined answer sheets before finalising the results of the students concerned.